Gelato Messina Opened Softville Store in New York City

The new Orchard Street shop combines an art-focused creative concept with fresh, daily-made soft serve.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Desserts

Bold vector editorial illustration featuring a soft-serve machine and charcoal sticks, representing a new art-focused dessert shop. — Gelato Messina has launched Softville, a new 232 square-metre soft-serve concept on Orchard Street in New York City. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Gelato Messina has expanded its international presence by opening Softville, a 232 square-metre soft-serve concept in New York City. The store serves menu items crafted from fresh milk sourced from the Hudson Valley.

Why it matters

The brand established this location to broaden its footprint in New York City by merging a dessert experience with interactive art and design. The shop features rotating seasonal offerings and collaborative art installations.

The new 232 square-metre retail space at 137 Orchard Street occupies a building featuring an original 1920s curved glass shopfront. The shop sources fresh milk daily from the Ronnybrook Farm Dairy in the Hudson Valley.

The players

Gelato Messina

This international dessert company was founded in Sydney and is known for its original store concepts.

Studio Jeremyville

This creative studio partnered with the dessert brand to design the art and sculpture-focused retail environment.

The details

Developed in partnership with Studio Jeremyville, the space functions as both an art gallery and a dessert shop. The store hosts drawing clubs and workshops led by artists, with staff preparing soft serve on-site every day.

Gelato Messina opened its first store in Sydney in 2002.
The building's original curved glass shopfront dates back to the 1920s.
Softville officially opened to the public in New York City in October 2026.

Culture Shift

The store's focus on drawing clubs and gallery-style art installations follows the broader shift toward experiential retail concepts designed to increase consumer engagement. This approach represents a departure from traditional walk-in food service models in favor of community-oriented spaces.

Residents of the Lower East Side can visit the new location to sample soft serve or participate in the drawing clubs and workshops hosted by the store. The seasonal nature of the menu implies that customers will see regular updates to available offerings throughout the year.

The takeaway

The store exemplifies the modern intersection of food service and creative studio space. Customers should check for upcoming art workshops and seasonal menu rotations to fully utilize the store's offerings.